Kindred: The Embraced: The Original Saga
"The Original Saga" is the pilot episode of the Fox Network television series Kindred: The Embraced. Directed by Peter Medak, it first aired on Tuesday, April 2nd, 1996. This episode introduces the Kindred - vampires divided into separate clans who often work together to maintain their power base in San Francisco's underworld. The leader of the clans is a prince named Julian Luna, whose primary function is to maintain the laws of the Kindred, in particular, the Masquerade - an edict that prevents mainstream humanity from learning the truth about their supernatural nature. Human police detective Frank Kohanek knows that Luna is San Francisco's leading mob boss, but is unaware that he is also a vampire. Guided by a mysterious informant, Kohanek is committed to bringing Luna and his organization down at all costs. While Luna must protect his people from police investigation, he must also worry about rivals who seek to instigate a war between the clans. Synopsis It is near dawn on a Sunday morning. Detectives Frank Kohanek and Sonny Toussaint get a bead on a man named Stevie Ray. Stevie Ray is the bodyguard for San Francisco's number one crime boss, Julian Luna. What Frank Kohanek doesn't know however, is that Stevie Ray and the people he associates with are also vampires. Stevie's concerns are not Frank and Sonny, but rather a rival crime boss named Eddie Fiori. Eddie is the vampire elder of clan Brujah and has been waging a shadow war against the cartel run by Luna. Eddie and his lieutenant pursue Stevie Ray across a rooftop. They capture him and while one assassin holds him down, Eddie uses a broken piece of antenna and drives it into Stevie Ray's heart. Frank and Sonny emerge on the rooftop and order Eddie and his crony to stand down. The two vampires back away and then jump over the side of the building. Frank runs to the edge and looks down, but there are no sign of them. As the sun continues to rise, Stevie Ray's body bursts into flames. His dying words are "I gave them nothing. Now I am free." Frank and Sonny bring the charred remains of Stevie Ray to the County Coroner's Office. The coroner is excited to see a victim of spontaneous human combustion, admitting that he had never seen such a case before. As they leave the coroner to his work, Sonny encourages Frank to lay off the Julian Luna case. Frank refuses to back down. He is committed to bringing Luna and his entire organization to justice at all costs. That evening, Julian Luna, the so-called "Prince of the City" ponders recent events. His trusted colleague Archon Raine tells him that the San Francisco police department has been getting closer and closer to them with each passing day. He fears that somebody within their ranks might be feeding them information. Meanwhile, Frank Kohanek spends some time with his lover Alexandra Serris. Alexandra is one of Julian's former paramours, but Frank is largely unaware of her true connection to him, much less the fact that she is a vampire. The two kiss one another until Frank receives a page from Sonny indicating that Luna is on the move. Like Sonny, Alexandra encourages Frank to abandon his crusade against Julian. Julian Luna and his current lover and associate Lillian Langtry walk out of Lillie's club, The Haven. They walk across the street where they find a group of angry, young Gangrel vampires congregating. Julian knows that these Gangrel were all loyal to Stevie Ray and are out for revenge. Julian warns them against "cruising for Brujah" and has no desire to ignite a clan war. The new leader of the group, a bitter young vampire named Cash, questions Luna's devotion to his deceased bodyguard and makes it known that he is not going to follow Julian's edicts. Before tempers flare even hotter, a black car swings around the corner. The window opens and a gunman armed with a grenade launcher indiscriminately fires several shots into the crowded streets. The car drives off, but Julian and the others are unharmed. Frank and Sonny show up, but there is nothing they can do to Luna. Julian returns to his mansion. He walks down into an underground chamber which also serves as the residence of his personal problem solver, the Nosferatu known as Daedalus. Julian asks Daedalus to speak with Eddie Fiori in the hopes of coming to an accord before things go too far out of control. Daedalus reminds his superior that the Brujah only understand carnage. Julian then tells him that Stevie Ray's body is at the coroner's office. If the coroner inspects the body too much it could expose the "Masquerade". The Masquerade is the term given to the practice of hiding their true nature from the human world. Daedalus uses his resources to sneak into the coroner's office. Using his vampiric power of persuasion, he forces the man to open up the vein in his wrist with a scalpel. Daedalus begins drinking his blood. Later, Julian takes Lillie to his bedchamber. He expresses his concern that his former lover, Alexandra, might risk exposing them to Frank. Lily reminds him that breach of the Masquerade results in a death sentence - with no exceptions. Archon Raine enters the room and delivers the sad news that Julian's oldest human grandchild, August Octavia, has just passed away. Alexandra Serris comes to visit Julian. She knows that he is aware of her relationship with Frank, but insists that he knows nothing of the Kindred or their ways. She pleads with Julian to spare Frank's life. Luna is enraged to see that Alexandra has found such happiness with the human. He does not respond to her request. Funeral services are held for August Octavia. Julian Luna reads the eulogy. August's granddaughter, teenager Sasha Luna stumbles into the funeral home. She is heavily inebriated and dressed in attire completely inappropriate for a funeral. She makes a spectacle of herself and drinks from a bottle of wine from her grandfather's vineyard. She says how August was the only one who ever cared about her, then kisses his dead body on the lips. After the funeral, Lillie goes to a gym where she finds Eddie Fiori working out. Eddie pleads innocent to the attack outside the club, ascribing the incident to Gangrel in-fighting. Lillie secretly wants Eddie's help with regards to the Alexandra Serris problem. In exchange, Lillie is willing to open up her night club to some of Eddie's L.A. contacts. A short time later, a council meeting between the Kindred elders is held at Julian's mansion. Eddie Fiori is present and says that Alexandra Serris is guilty of endangering the masquerade. He accuses Julian of being soft on her because of their past relationship, and challenges his ability to maintain the title of Prince. Julian bristles at Eddie's words, but cannot deny the dangerous position that his former lover has placed them in. He calls for a blood hunt on Alexandra Serris. Meanwhile, Alexandra and Frank spend the evening with one another. When Frank awakens, he notices that he cannot feel Alexandra's heart beat. Alexandra is in love with Frank, but tired of lying to him. She reveals that she is something more than human and Frank begins to understand that she is a vampire. He tastes her blood, which makes him ill, but he doesn't care. He wants to be with her... wants to become like her. Alexandra knows that her life is now forfeit for revealing the truth about herself. She goes to see Julian in private. Despite his edict as vampire prince, he has no desire to see Alexandra die. He offers her sanctuary, but she turns him down. She awakens memories in Julian of their former love for one another and makes him promise that no matter what happens, he will spare Frank Kohanek's life. Julian agrees. .]] Near dawn, Alexandra walks down the street. A taxicab pulls up and she gets inside. The driver is Daedalus. As they pull away, Daedalus uses his razor-sharp fingernail to slice Alexandra's throat open. He drives towards the Golden Gate Bridge while she slowly bleeds to death in the back of the car. He dumps her body on the ground and whispers to her, "The water is your sanctuary". Having satisfied the rules of the blood hunt, Daedalus drives off, hoping that his prey will actually find the strength to make it to the water and possibly even survive. She climbs onto the railing of the bridge just as Frank pulls up in his car. He is too late to save her however and Alexandra bursts into flames as the sun comes up over the horizon. Her body plummets into the water below. Back at his apartment, Frank receives a telephone call. It is from the mysterious informant who has been giving him tips on Julian Luna's activity. The voice tells him where he will be able to find Luna to get his revenge. Frank has no idea that the caller is actually his own partner Sonny Toussaint. Sonny is a vampire of clan Ventrue who has been secretly conspiring with Eddie Fiori against Julian Luna. Frank goes to a garden near Julian's home. He finds the vampire amidst the rose bushes - one of Alexandra's favorite meeting places. Julian tries to make peace with Frank, but Kohanek wants revenge. He shoots Luna twice in the chest, but he knows that this will not kill him. Julian is honor bound to his promise to Alexandra and does not take action against Frank. Frank vows that he will one day find a way to destroy him - even if he has to become like him to do it. Cast Regular Cast Guest Stars Notes & Trivia * This episode is available on the Kindred: The Embraced - The Complete Series DVD collection released on August 21st, 2001. * Production code number: 3795-001. * This episode is alternatively known by the title "The Embraced". * While this episode aired on a Tuesday, the remainder of the series aired on Wednesday evenings. * This is the only episode of the series where John R. Leonetti served as the director of photography. Quotes See also External Links * * "The Original Saga" at TV.com * "The Original Saga" at ShareTV.org * "The Original Saga" at TV Rage.com ---- Category:1996 television episodes